Forrest Gump Essay

In film, events are the core at which the plot line revolves around and are the basis on which the audience can learn important themes and ideas. In Robert Zemeckis’ 1994 Academy Award winning film, Forrest Gump, the Storm scene (when Lt. Dan challenges God) is essential. This heartfelt, action-packed event positively impacts one of the main characters in the film, Lt.Dan; he is finally able to forgive and start anew. Upon closer inspection of visual and verbal techniques used by Zemeckis, we can understand why this event positively impacted Lt.Dan.

Prior to the storm scene (when Lt.Dan challenges God), Lt. Dan was a very depressed and angry man who only thought of himself as a “legless freak”. During the Vietnam War, in the 1960s, Lt.Dan

Upon the conclusion of his ‘fight’ with God, Lt.Dan, willingly, says to Forrest: “I never got to thank you for saving my life.” This pivotal line from the film is an important part of dialogue. It establishes a turning point in Lt. Dan’s life. After all of the misfortunes that Lt. Dan has experienced throughout the course of his life, most notably losing his legs in Vietnam, it becomes apparent that Lt. Dan realises that he has hit the lowest point in his life and that it can only get better from there. His newfound optimism helps to develop the theme of hope – a prevalent theme in the film. Through this scene, Lt.Dan also makes his peace with God. An extreme long shot is used when Lt.Dan jumps into the sea and swims towards the sunset. Symbolism is masterfully used through this shot; the vast sea mirroring the broad horizon commands attention and symbolises God’s awe and splendour. To aid the subtleness of the scene, a music score is used in the background. The light, soft tune produced by the piano evokes contemplation and reflection in the audience. Therefore, the aftermath of the storm scene positively impacts Lt.Dan as he is finally able to forgive Forrest and look at life with more